Not the most diverse - while there is a variety of poetry and excerpts in here, it could be more balanced. A good 80% of the book is the classic white male poets who are always published. There are however some really unique poems amongst this and this is more what I was expecting.

An exciting and varied collection of vampire literature showing a clear evolution of the way that vampire lore has changed and developed whilst always representing the fear of "the other".

I really appreciated the way that the chosen pieces were collected with clear themes as well as following a linear timeline from older works right up to the much more contemporary. Not everything was a hit but there were some clear gems amongst the bunch and I am always excited to discover vampire tales that I haven't come across before.

Claire Kohda's introduction to this collection perfectly gives the reader a sense of what they are about to experience whilst also having a dash of irreverence that I really enjoyed,

Highly recommend

This selection of vampiric poetry is certainly atmospheric. Selections for anthologies such as these can be poor, underwhelming and sometimes confusing; but this isn't. This is perfect for the cold seasons, or if you're like me, every season!

White Teeth, Red Blood was one of my favorite reads so far! I totally recommend everyone to read this book as fast as they can because it's really good and the characters are fantastic.

Some of these poems are a little dry (I mean, what do you expect when some were written so long ago), but I love thinking about what it would have been like hearing them read aloud in the 1800's!

I recommend this collection for fan of classics but if you're more of a modern vampire fan, these might be a little dull.

A stunning collection of poems and verses about vampires in literature.
I received this book as an ARC but this has not affected my review.
I loved this! I hadn't read a lot of these before this book, and it was so interesting to see how vampires were written and thought about back in the 1700s onwards. Even including some literature that may not be directly related to vampires, but reading it through that 'lens' gave the piece a totally different meaning!
The introduction written by Claire Kohda was a perfect start to this vampiric collection. I also want to add I felt like these pieces were well picked and thought out, and not just a case of compiling everything that said 'vampire' into one place.
I would recommend this book to vampire lovers, those who love the history of vampires and want a snapshot of how they were perceived in the past, those who want to get into the Halloween mood without reading a horror book, and a perfect "coffee table book" for the upcoming spooky season.
Thank you to Netgalley UK and Pushkin Press for sending me an ARC of this wonderful anthology ❤️

White Teeth, Red Blood: Selected Vampiric Verses publishing 11th September 2025 in the UK.

Firstly, Claire Kodha gives an excellent introduction which was very interesting to read through and helps set the tone for the verses to come.

A great collection of vampire tales conveniently grouped together depending on their context. Including works from big names that everyone has heard of to some I hadn't, and people you would expect to see and others you wouldn't.

A great read to pick up and read through as and when to sate the vampire within.

Thank you to Pushkin Press and NetGalley for the e-ARC of this title.

Fantastic collection of vampire related snippets and extracts, pulling from poetry and prose alike.

White Teeth, Red Blood is well thought-out if traditional, these are the pieces of literature at the heart of the vampire genre as you have seen them before, and will likely see them again. The collection is somewhat lacking the addition of notes, or greater context - I couldn't help but wonder if this would benefit from the same introductory passages seen in Penguin Black Classics Books of e.g., the Black Classics book of the Undead. This isn't helped by the introduction writer's admission that she is no great fan of the vampire genre, I think, whilst any vampire fan would recognise the literary and narrative potential of the creature, and themes often associated with it, this is a book that might have benefitted from the input of a real vampire lover, and the addition of some wider context!

Nevertheless, the majority of the content is the excerpts, all of which are faithfully reproduced! Can't fault White Teeth, Red Blood for being exactly what it said on the tin - 4 stars.

An Awesome and lovely dark anthology of poetry written over the ages by our best authors, focus on vampires.

I'm not especially a vampire lover when it comes for fiction save for the classics but I do love a great and dark poem when it is eerie and perfectly written.

This vamps anthology offers some of the best poems and verses you can find, through the ages, from Goethe to Emily Dickinson, Lord Byron or even Ishmael Reed.

It's bloody, it's dark and it's definitely the perfect introduction to classics and poetry if you want to start somewhere and like dark creatures.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher Bonnier Books for the digital ARC, it has not affected my honest review.

This fascinating collection of poems about vampires through different historical eras pulled me in so quickly, and even though some felt a little overlong, I loved how I could see exactly what the authors intended. I loved Christabel, The White Witch, Witch Wife and A Daughter of Eve the most!

Dark, twisted, and bloody poems you will want to sink your teeth into.

I've never been one for poetry, but these had me gripped. poems from writers of both the past and present, bringing us tales of vampires old and sometimes the heartache that comes with it. These have gotten me in the mood and anticipation for my upcoming winter production of Dracula at the theatre, and whatever role I receive, I hope to use these poems to guide me. Have I mentioned that vampires have always been my favorite?

I think I was looking for a different book. This book is what it says, a collection of vampire poems. However the topics laid out in the introduction don't truly get explored. The introduction was probably the most interesting bit, a brief look at how the vampire myth can represent differences such as neurodivergence, lgbtqia+, people of colour, topics like racism, colonialism and misogyny, sexuality and violence. I think having essays on those topics in the wider vampire Canon with some excerpts of the poems would probably have had more impact. Also, 20 percent of the ebook was one single poem by Byron. I mean come on. And the inclusion of la belle dame sans merci felt like a reach considering it's always been a faery poem.

A very good collection of vampiric verses.

As it can be understood by the subtitle of this book, it does not only contain verses about the vampires but also the poems that could be considered as “vampiric”. For example, we cannot say for certain that a few of the poems at the beginning of the book or some famous poems like La Belle Dame Sans Merci by John Keats are about vampires. However, they have been analysed as they could be by academics. I have known some of these poems before this book, and analysed them during my literature degree, but I have never considered them as vampiric. This was an interesting point of view from my experience. I feel like it could be a great reading/analysing activity for the readers.

The categorizations were simple and helpful. However, my only wish for the book would be to read why the editor has chosen these poems to be included in this book. Claire Kohda in the introduction makes good points and I enjoyed reading them but reading more about the poems, especially before each section or selected poems would be more helpful and engaging.

Overall I quite enjoyed this collection and would recommend it to anyone, especially gothic literature and poetry lovers. I also need to add that I really liked the book cover.

Thanks to Netgalley UK and Pushkin Press for this advanced reader copy.

WHITE TEETH, RED BLOOD: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is a selection of various vampiric poems and it was so fun to read. My personal favourite was The Vampyre by James Clerk Maxwell. I really enjoyed this.